Dieting Obstacle When Life Gets in the Way

Dieting Dilemma No 1: When Life Gets in the Way

That pesky thing called life has a way of fouling up our the best laid plans. First you decide you're going to start keeping your car cleaner, thinking, "I'll wash it every Saturday morning." Great, you have a plan. Saturday comes along and someone calls inviting you to go golfing. "I was going to wash the car, but I can do it when I get back," and off you go. Maybe you do wash the car later that day, maybe you tell yourself, "I'll wash it next Saturday. It wasn't that dirty anyway."

Next week Saturday comes along and someone invited you camping so you're in the woods thinking, "Oh, well, I can't wash the car from here, can I?"

Another Saturday rolls around and you've forgotten all about your car washing plan, so even though you're not doing anything else you're thinking, "I don't really FEEL like washing the car right now. I'll do it later," and so it goes.

"Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans." -- John Lennon

It happens to all of us. You join the gym and immediately get the flu. Sign up for a adult education class and you're car breaks down on the first night. When you need to water the grass there's no rain in sight, but wash the car and what always happens? These examples aren't meant to give you a pessimistic outlook but instead to point out why persistence in the face of obstacles is what separates the haves from the have nots.

It's not what happens but what you DO with what happens that matters

The best approach is one-day-at-a-time, or even lesser intervals depending on what you are attempting to do. If you're trying to quit smoking, you might want to take things half-an-hour at a time. With food or eating it can be one meal at a time, one hunger pang or craving at a time, or whatever interval works for you.

Choose your Time Interval then Make it Happen

If you say you'll never do something again (smoke, overeat, over drink) it never lasts (you must build in the possibility of occasional lapse), but if you wake up in the morning and decide for that day, and only that day, that you will follow through with your plan, for just that one day, then it does happen.

There's a real rush of accomplishment when you wake up and realize that yesterday you did follow-through; you accomplished what you set out to do. And that's when it's easier to decide your intention for that day (or that hour) once again. Each accomplishment builds onto the next, and it gets easier and easier. Learning to follow-through takes practice.

Let Successes Build, Lapses Pass

It takes practice to get proficient no matter what you are learning, so plan to persist. Small lapses aren't failures, they are only lapses, and you then decided for the next time period. You will find that you are following through more often than not as time goes by. Doing this allows you to pre-plan when you know you'll not stick to your eating plan, thereby making it okay on occasion to over indulge. Holidays, special occasions. People who maintain a healthy body weight do this all the time without thinking about it. When you give yourself permission to indulge, it's amazing how much less you'll feel like overdoing it.

What About Those Obstacles and Unexpected Events?

What about when you decide and something comes up unexpectedly? For instance, you decided you're going to work out on Monday, Wednesday and Friday after work at 6:00 PM. This works great on Monday and Wednesday but Friday someone asks you to join them after work for drinks or dinner. Maybe that cute co-worker you've had your eye on.

What do you do? Do you say, "No, thanks, I have to work out," and risk never getting to know that person, or "No, I already have plans," and sound like a jerk, or "Maybe some other time," and you know there'll never be another time, or "Yes, that sounds great," and then you berate yourself for being a whimp and not following through with your workout plan? Either way you're not going to feel good about your decision and you're setting yourself up to fail.

Set Things Up So You'll Succeed - No Matter WhatInstead, set things up so you will succeed, no matter what. Before you decide what you want to do, think it through completely. This is part of the "Creating a Compelling Outcome" process (included in the Ending Emotional Eating Workshop). When you decide what you'd like to do you must also consider everything else that will be affected and whether your plan is workable in the real world. Maybe Friday night workouts are going to be interrupted often. Better then to choose a different day or time.

If you thought about it before-hand you may have realized that things would often come up Friday evenings, so you decided to work out on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings, or some other schedule. Thinking about what might interfere is why many people do their exercise in the early morning hours. Working out in the morning virtually ensures nothing else will interfere. No one invites you out for 6:00 AM except maybe your running partner!

If you want to get up early, think it through. Are you a night person? Early morning hours probably won't work for you, but some other time will. Do you have a spouse who'd complain loudly? Consider them as well, but don't let everyone else's preferences keep you from doing what's best for you. Consider others and any objections they may have, and then decide in advance how to counter those objections. It's basically a way to look at your plans from all the angles, figure out the danger zones, decide in advance on strategies to keep you on track, and then get started.

Secondly, realize that once in awhile you won't be able to keep to your plan. That's okay. Holidays interfere with gym hours. I've been annoyed when the gym was closed on Christmas Day! Sometimes despite your best efforts, things come up. That's okay too. You must be somewhat flexible, but at the same time persist to make sure you have scheduled a plan that can work the majority of the time.

Use This Process on Any Change You'd Like to Make

If you're making changes in your eating habits, do the same thing. I've done this successfully with many eating habits such as my old "Once a week cheese burgers and fries habit" which is now down to seldom or a couple of times a year. I did this by taking my four times a month cheese burgers and fries habit and cutting it back first to three times a month, then twice a month. Finally it was easy enough to just drop it. The habit was broken once I broke the regular cycle.

Remember too, you're not setting up a perfectionist situation, but a plan you can live with and work with. Choose one small thing to change, one habit, one event. Achieving small wins daily builds to enormous successes, and life goes on. Enjoy every moment of it.

Then, when those special situations arise, you'll know what to do, because you've already planned ahead, and even if you abandon your plan, for a vacation perhaps, you just get right back on track when you return feeling refreshed and excited to get started again. Relaxing like this on a vacation many find they eat a lot, play a lot and any weight they gain is lost within days of their return.

Program emphasizes God in weight-loss battleArkansas OnlineDavis talked about the Christ-centered weight-loss and healthy-living program, which her sister, Anita, told her about in January 1995, hoping to help Davis, who was struggling with weight gain that seemed to have no end. Anita, a registered nurse, was ...and more »

The 7 Best Food Combos For Weight LossYahoo HealthThey're meant to work in partnership, each bringing its own set of unique flavors (and nutrients) to create the perfect weight-loss meal. Case in point: Last month, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that salads ...

7 Ways You're Unintentionally Sabotaging Your Weight Loss GoalsForbesDoes this sound like you? You eat healthy foods most of the time, you work out, you take your vitamins and supplements, and yet you're still not reaching the goals you've set out for yourself. You feel like you're doing all the right things, but the ...

Weight-loss drugs come with many caveatsChicago Daily HeraldWhat's more, weight-loss drugs are only moderately effective. On average, they help people lose about 5 percent of their body weight over a period of six to 12 months. But the response varies widely. Some people may lose a lot of weight on a particular ...and more »

Is the Ayurvedic Diet Right for Weight Loss?Shape MagazineAyurveda followers swear by the diet's physical and mental health benefits, and some even say it helps you lose weight. So we had a writer test the meal plan. 0 shared this. Printer-friendly version. 0 shared this. Printer-friendly version. 0. Printer ...

RELATED ARTICLESWeight Loss Problems? Are You on the Path of Delusion, Depression, and Destruction?
Are you weighted down with delusion, depression and on the verge of destruction because of your weight?Am I missing something here? If I am someone please email me and tell me. But, the shape of you and America tells me I am not missing the boat at all.
Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #5
Wow! You must be on fire by now burning and churning up those calories on your way to your ideal weight. I know that taking steps to better your life is not always easy.
Weight Loss Tips, Tricks, And Tactics - Part 2
I personal lost 60 pounds in 2003. Here are some tactics I used to lose the weight.
Successful WLS Patients Make Right Their Nutritional Wellness
It seems there are two schools of behavior patients follow after gastric bypass surgery:The first are the patients who realize WLS is a second chance to make right their nutritional wellness and they exchange the eating habits and poor food choices that made them obese for a smarter way of eating. These patients become champions of healthy ingredients and wholesome eating making conscious choices for how they fuel their bodies.
Little Weight Loss Goes A Long Way
From driving up your blood pressure and cholesterol, to increasing your risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and more, there's no question that being overweight is more than just a cosmetic problem - it's a serious threat to your health.At the same time, if you're like most folks, even the thought of embarking on a 20-, 40-, or even 100-pound weight-loss plan can seem like a mountain that's impossible to climb.
Breakfast and Weight Loss
Some people think that skipping breakfast will help them lose weight. It won't.
Water - How Important Is It In Our Daily Diet And With Weight Loss?
The importance of drinking water is mentioned in almost every article on weight loss. It is a very important fact that we need to drink water whether we are dieting or not.
Mindfulness - The Key to Avoiding Overeating
I made myself a sandwich today and thought I'd be efficient and do some work over lunch. I was brainstorming some ideas for my next article.
Slowing Down Can Help You Lose Weight Faster
Running For Weight Loss??.Slow DownYou may be out running your fat burning hormonesSo you've loved running since your track days of high school.
The Mental Game Of Weight Loss
Many of us have tried losing weight in the past only to have it all find it's way back to us and then we notice it brought a few friends along.Then there's nothing left to do but feel frustrated, and suffer with our weight problem for another several months or years until we get sick and tired again of bering sick and tired and try once again to lose that unsightly weight.
How To Get Rid Of Your Belly Fat Or Pooch
The best way you can get rid of your pop belly or pooch is not by doing a certain AB exercise or by using the latest AB gadget---its through Proper diet and exercise.Sit-ups, crunches, AB lounges, & other AB gadgets all play a very small part in getting rid of your pop belly or pooch.
Who Else Wants To Lose Weight? Stop Dieting!
From personal experience I have myself like all of you at one time or another tried dieting. I have lost weight on some plansbut in the long run was not able to sustain it.
3 Ways Going with the Flow Will Make You Fat - And What To Do About It!
Wanna know the truth? If you're going to be slim, you're going to have to swim against the current. You're going to have to take charge of your body and make your own decisions?cause if you go with the flow today, I guarantee that you're going to be fat.
The Answer to Combining Diet & Exercise for Maximum Weight Loss
Put simply, your resting metabolic rate is the minimum number of calories your body needs to survive if you sleep in bed all day. Your body needs energy for hundreds of bodily functions such as breathing, keeping the brain functioning and any movement your body makes.
Magnetic Weight Loss -- Does It Work?
Magnetic weight loss is the newest fad diet supplement to hit the net. What is it and how does it work.
Dieting Mistakes - 5 Easy Tips to Avoid Disaster
Looking to avoid the dieting mistakes many of our weight loss readers have made? Are you interested in steering away from the pitfalls many of us fall into while considering which diet plan makes sense? Perhaps you're just wanting to jump start your own path to nutrition and wellness -- whichever your goal you'll be better off learning from the mistakes of countless others.While the basics of weight loss include time honored classics like 'eat right and exercise' many of us get caught up in the hype and spin of today's weight loss services.
Why You Should Burn Body Fat
Are you overweight? Then you probably want to lose some weight. It is obvious that you'll burn body fat by increasing your metabolism.
5-Step Weight Loss Program for Permanent Weight Loss
Every Journey Worth Taking Begins with a Single StepHere are five easy steps to gain control of your weight loss efforts. Start at the beginning, then take small steps, each and every day and you'll climb that mountain.
Diet Sodas & Losing Weight: Is Diet Coke Good Or Dangerous For Healthy Weight Loss?
Zero Calorie Diet Sodas: Good Or Bad For Weight Loss?Calorie-free diet sodas, like Diet Coke?, Diet Pepsi? or Diet-7 Up? seem very good for weight loss or maintenance, compared to their sugar-saturated counterparts. For example, just a cup of orange juice contains a whopping 110 calories.
Weight Loss Is All To Do With Calories
What is a calorie? The definition of a calorie is "the amount of energy, or heat it takes to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius". A calorie is a unit of energy that is associated with food and drink and is a measure of the energy, or heat, that food produces as your body uses it as fuel.